Citing costs, 2 clinics drop La. abortion suit

BATON ROUGE - Abortion clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans have dropped their challenge to Louisiana's newest abortion law. An earlier lawsuit filed by clinics in Metairie, Shreveport and Bossier City remains intact.

The law requires doctors who perform abortions to be able to admit patients to a hospital within 30 miles.

Attorney Ellie Schilling said earlier that cost was the only reason that Delta Clinic of Baton Rouge, Women's Health Care Center in New Orleans and a doctor at each decided to drop their suit.

U.S. District Judge John deGravelles (duh-GRAV-el) agreed Thursday to let them do so.

He has scheduled a trial to begin March 30. Until then, his temporary order bars the state health department from penalizing abortion doctors whose applications for hospital admitting privileges are pending.